Nigeria have three points from two games, after a 2-1 win over Madagascar in Uyo and a 3-0 defeat at Guinea-Bissau. Guinea-Bissau lead with six points and a goal difference of +5, while Madagascar and Tanzania have one point each. Tanzania, as co-hosts of the finals, have a place already, so only the best-placed of the other three sides goes through.

Soccernet set out the Group L table before the Tanzania games earlier this week. This piece looks at what happens after them.

What is left after November

Nigeria's remaining fixtures are the two Tanzania games in mid-November, an away game at Madagascar and a home game against Guinea-Bissau on 28 March 2027. The Guinea-Bissau tie is Nigeria's only remaining meeting with the leaders.

Victor Osimhen is reported by Legit.ng to be returning to the squad after missing the last qualifiers with a right adductor and groin strain. The same report says Kelechi Iheanacho is also reportedly back, as relayed by OwnGoal Nigeria.

Analysis: Why the Tanzania double-header matters most

Six points would take Nigeria to nine, three clear of Guinea-Bissau's current total, and would put the 28 March game against the leaders at the centre of the race. Anything less would leave Nigeria depending on results elsewhere in the group.

Nigeria have also gone five games without a clean sheet, as Soccernet reported before the Tanzania games. If that run continues, the margin for error shrinks, because the 3-0 loss in Bissau already sits in Nigeria's goal difference.

Everything in the group still hinges on the two Tanzania games, and Nigeria go into them needing to win both.

Awoniyi was back from suspension. The goal came at the end of the first half: he won the ball from Sunderland defender Luke O'Nien, drove into the penalty area and finished past goalkeeper Robin Roefs.

It was his second goal in eight appearances in all competitions since his summer move from Nottingham Forest.

Iroegbunam opens his Premier League account for the season

Iroegbunam, the former Everton midfielder, scored his first Premier League goal of the season at the MKM Stadium. He collected the ball just inside Ipswich's half on the right, ran into the box and finished past goalkeeper Christian Walton.

The midfielder has had fitness problems this season. Hull's other Nigerian, defender Semi Ajayi, spoke after the Brentford draw a few days earlier about the value of a home point.

Analysis: Why the timing helps both players with the Super Eagles

Two Nigerians scoring on the same Saturday is useful evidence for Eric Chelle, ahead of the November AFCON qualifiers against Tanzania. Nigeria have gone five games without a clean sheet, and Victor Osimhen has been reported to be returning from injury.

For Awoniyi, a goal after suspension is a reminder that he can win the ball high up the pitch and finish. Whether that is enough to earn a call-up will depend on Chelle's choices up front, and one goal is a small sample.

Iroegbunam's case rests on staying fit. A goal helps, but staying fit matters more. Both players will want a run of starts before the squad is announced.

Nigeria reached the last eight by finishing second in Group B. They lost 2-1 to Poland, beat Puerto Rico 2-0 and then beat defending champions DPR Korea 3-1, which ended Korea's run of 18 matches without a defeat in regulation time at the tournament. Soccernet previewed that game in our Flamingos v DPR Korea preview.

Match facts

Form guide: a comeback from the Poland loss

Umejiaku scored in the 40th minute and Dunstan added the second in the 71st against Mexico in the round of 16 in Salé. Emily Delgado pulled one back for Mexico in stoppage time, so Nigeria had to see out the final minutes.

Venezuela reached the quarter-finals by beating reigning European champions Germany, an upset that makes them a dangerous opponent.

Pedigree: bronze in 2022

Nigeria won bronze at the 2022 edition in India after reaching the semi-finals, and a win on Sunday would return them to that stage.

Key battles

Nigerian connection: Umejiaku and Dunstan against Venezuela's back line

Umejiaku and Dunstan are Nigeria's latest goalscorers. Venezuela's defenders, who helped knock out Germany, will have to deal with the pair's movement in behind.

Analysis: managing the last ten minutes

Nigeria have shown they can beat a defending champion and a side from the next tier. The Poland loss and the stoppage-time goal against Mexico both came from defending, so game management matters as much as chances.

If the Flamingos go ahead, a calm finish is the difference between a semi-final and a quarter-final exit.

Verdict

Nigeria's attacking returns against DPR Korea and Mexico outweigh Venezuela's one big result, though the margin could be small. Our Edo Queens WAFU B final story has the other big women's result of the week.

Ajayi was not listed among Hull's injured or doubtful players in Sports Mole's team news, and he is in its predicted XI. Soccernet covered his reaction to Hull's last home result in our Ajayi after the Brentford draw story. Our weekend roundup of Nigerians abroad has the rest of the latest round.

Match facts

Form guide: draws are Hull's habit

Hull have drawn four of their last six Premier League games, losing the other two, and their most recent result was a 1-1 draw with Brentford.

Ipswich have won two, lost three and drawn one of their last six. Their latest was a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest, which left them 12th and four points clear of 18th-placed Forest.

Head-to-head: a first top-flight meeting

This is the first time the clubs have met in the top flight. Hull have not beaten Ipswich in any meeting since November 2020, when both were in League One.

Key battles

Nigerian connection: Ajayi against Ipswich's wide threats

Ipswich are expected to line up with Fatawu, Enciso and Philogene behind the striker, so Ajayi and the Hull back line will be tested by pace and movement.

Analysis: a draw would suit a tight game

Both sides have 10 points and a pattern of low-margin results, which points to a game decided by one error or one set piece. Hull's defensive resources are stretched, so the discipline of Ajayi and his fellow defenders matters more than usual.

Team news

Hull are without Eliot Matazo (knee), Matt Targett (ankle), Ilyas Ansah (back), Darko Gyabi (groin) and Charlie Hughes (groin). Lucas Gourna-Douath (calf), Nobel Mendy (groin) and goalkeeper Jack Butland (arm) are doubtful.

Ipswich will be without Jack Taylor, and Sasa Lukic is a groin doubt.

Verdict

Two sides on equal points, with Hull's injury list against Ipswich's mixed form, point to a share of the spoils. Ajayi's performance in the middle of the back line is likely to decide whether Hull get more than that.

Nigeria meet DR Congo in the second round of qualifying. The first leg is scheduled for 13 November at TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi, with the return on 17 November at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.

Legit.ng says travel and quarantine restrictions linked to the outbreak could lead to the away leg being moved to a neutral venue. It stresses that no decision has been announced.

The outbreak behind the concern

Legit.ng cites DRC Ministry of Health figures of more than 9,800 cases and over 4,700 deaths since the outbreak began in May. In an update on 23 October, the World Health Organization called for stronger cross-border monitoring and advised against blanket travel or trade restrictions, as reported by Legit.ng.

Camp is already open

Chelle invited 31 home-based players to the Olympic Eagles camp, which opened on Sunday 25 October at the AM2PM Hotel in Ijebu-Ode. The provisional squad has four goalkeepers, nine defenders, eight midfielders and 10 forwards.

Nigeria received a first-round bye, while DR Congo beat Mauritania to reach this stage. The winner goes into the final qualifying round, and the tournament in Egypt doubles as Africa's qualifier for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Analysis: a venue change would reshape the tie

If the first leg stays in Lubumbashi, Nigeria's young home-based squad would face a testing away trip before the return in Ikenne. If it is moved, the usual home advantage that DR Congo would have had in the first leg disappears, which would help a team that has not yet played a competitive match in this campaign.

Either way, preparation time is short. Chelle also has the senior team's Tanzania games to plan for, a workload we covered in our piece on his double duty, and our Group L breakdown shows how much is riding on those games. A decision from CAF on the venue is the next thing to watch.

The run takes in the friendlies against Russia, Portugal and Poland, the qualifier against Madagascar and the 3-0 defeat by Guinea-Bissau, according to Afrik-Foot. Nigeria beat Madagascar 2-1 but still conceded.

The defeat by Guinea-Bissau left Nigeria three points behind Guinea-Bissau in Group L, as Soccernet set out in our Group L breakdown.

A new-look squad, and a defence still being tested

Nine players made their international debuts in the draw with Russia, among them Peter Edokpolor, Igor Wilfred and Abubakar Umar. That churn has not produced a settled back line.

Afrik-Foot names defender Semi Ajayi, winger Bright Osayi-Samuel and goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali as proven quality. It argues that younger players Chibuike Nwaiwu, Abdullahi Bewene and Benjamin Fredrick deserve more minutes.

Analysis: goals alone will not fix the table

Victor Osimhen is back after missing the October fixtures, and Kelechi Iheanacho arrives on a scoring streak at Bursaspor. Chelle's attack has options, and Afrik-Foot lists Tolu Arokodare, Akor Adams and George Ilenikhena among them.

The harder question is balance. Five games without a shutout suggest Nigeria cannot count on outscoring every opponent, so the way Chelle sets up the midfield in front of the defence may matter as much as who leads the line. If Nigeria concede first at home, the pressure on a group that needs points will rise quickly.

The workload on the staff is another factor, as we explained in our piece on Chelle's double duty with the Olympic Eagles. The senior team host Tanzania in Uyo before travelling to Dar es Salaam, and a first clean sheet would be the clearest sign that the reset is working.

Lookman has two goals and one assist for Atlético in all competitions this season, according to Afrik-Foot. That is well short of the nine goals he scored after joining from Atalanta in the winter window, a spell in which Atlético reached the Copa del Rey final and the Champions League semi-finals.

Simeone has also taken him off at half-time in more than three league games this season. Soccernet looked at that pattern in our half-time substitution piece.

The plan: wide, with less defending

Mundo Deportivo, as cited by Afrik-Foot, reports that Simeone is considering a 4-3-3 with Lookman as the left winger. The system was tried in recent matches against Stuttgart and Deportivo A Coruña.

The idea is to let Lookman receive the ball wide, beat his man and cut inside, while limiting his defensive workload.

What Simeone has said

Simeone described Lookman's game earlier in October in comments reported by Afrik-Foot.

“He is a dribbler; we need him to be one, to lose the ball and keep trying.”

The message is that Simeone accepts the lost balls that come with a dribbler, as long as the attempts keep coming.

Analysis: a role that suits his strengths, if the form follows

A wide role with fewer defensive duties suits a winger who is asked to receive the ball wide and cut inside. If the 4-3-3 becomes the regular shape, a simpler brief could also ease the half-time substitutions.

The risk is that a change of shape does not by itself bring goals. Two in all competitions is a thin return, and the reported plan depends on Lookman first improving his own performances.

For Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle, a Lookman who is back to his best would be welcome with the Tanzania qualifiers coming in November. Our Group L breakdown shows why Nigeria need their best players in form. Atlético's next league games will show whether the 4-3-3 is more than an experiment.

Osimhen arrives on a high after his brace in the 2-1 derby win over Fenerbahçe, which took him to 49 Süper Lig goals for the club. Soccernet covered the numbers in our Osimhen derby breakdown. He has eight league goals this season and shares the top spot on the scoring chart.

Awaziem has two goals for Konyaspor this season, both in his first career brace against Gençlerbirliği. Our Awaziem story has what he said afterwards.

Match facts

Form guide: leaders against a 14th-placed side

Galatasaray have won four of their last five matches in all competitions. The one defeat in that run was a 4-0 loss at Trabzonspor on 19 September, and they lead Amed SK by two points.

Konyaspor have won two, drawn one and lost two of their last five home games. They have scored only six goals in nine league games, the second-fewest in the division.

Head-to-head: Konya has been an awkward trip

Galatasaray have won 22 of the 33 meetings in all competitions, against four for Konyaspor and seven draws. The most recent one went the other way, with Konyaspor winning 2-0 at home on 21 February 2026.

Galatasaray have lost four of their last six visits to Konya.

Key battles

Nigerian connection: Osimhen against Awaziem

Osimhen shares the league's top scoring spot, while Awaziem is the centre-back likely to be asked to stop him. Both Super Eagles will be watched with the Tanzania double-header coming in November.

Analysis: why Galatasaray should still be too strong

Konyaspor's attack is among the weakest in the league, so their route to a result is likely to be a low-scoring game. That is the scenario in which the February result repeats itself.

Galatasaray's league position and Osimhen's eight league goals point the other way. If their defence holds, the visitors have more ways to score than a side that has found the net six times in nine games.

Team news

Galatasaray defender Abdülkerim Bardakcı was sent off in the Fenerbahçe derby and faces a disciplinary referral, so he is a doubt. Wilfried Singo returned from a thigh injury and played two minutes in the derby.

Konyaspor are without Adil Demirbağ, who has a cruciate ligament injury. Uğurcan Yazgılı has recovered from a muscle problem and may return, and Enis Destan is back on the bench after a knee problem.

Verdict

Galatasaray's quality and Osimhen's form should settle it, though Konyaspor's record against them in Konya keeps the margin to two goals rather than more. Osimhen is the likeliest scorer, with Awaziem the man tasked with stopping him.

Awaziem scored both goals, one in each half, according to Complete Sports. The double lifts his tally to two goals in seven Süper Lig appearances for Konyaspor this season.

What Awaziem said

The defender spoke to Pusulahaber, in comments reported by Complete Sports.

“First of all, I congratulate my team for their performance. Everyone gave their all to win the three points.”

He then turned to his own contribution.

“I am very happy with the performance of my teammates. I scored two goals, but I scored those two goals thanks to my teammates. I am also proud of my own performance.”

Analysis: A first brace and what it adds

For a defender, two goals in one game is a rare return, and both of his league goals this season came in this match. The brace turns a quiet scoring record into a headline, and it puts a Super Eagles defender in the story of a Konyaspor win.

That is useful for Eric Chelle as the Tanzania double-header in November approaches, because a defender in form is a point in favour at selection time. Our weekend roundup of Nigerians abroad has the other scorers, and our Group L breakdown shows why every selection counts.

Awaziem's next chance to add to the tally comes in Konyaspor's next Süper Lig game.

The NPFL champions had taken a two-goal lead into the return leg in Algeria. It was 0-0 at half-time, with Rangers defending deep for most of the first half, and the goals arrived after the break.

How the tie slipped away

Chahreddine Boukholda broke the deadlock before the hour. Rangers goalkeeper Abuchi Okeke then saved a Mohamed Bangoura penalty around the 70th minute, keeping it 1-0.

Bangoura made up for it with a close-range finish, and Soufiane Bayazid added a third in stoppage time, so two of the three goals came in the final 10 minutes. MC Alger secured a third consecutive group-stage place.

Analysis: What the exit leaves Rangers

A two-goal lead away from home is rarely lost by one bad moment. Rangers sat deep, and the penalty save kept them in the tie until the late goals, so the question for their coaching staff is how to protect a lead for 90 minutes, not 60.

With Africa over for this season, the league is the focus. Rangers have 17 points and two matches in hand, level with leaders Rivers United, who have 17 points from 10 games. The two meet on Sunday 1 November at 16:00 at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, and our Matchday 11 table breakdown shows how tight the top is.

A win would put Rangers clear with games still in hand. Our NPFL results roundup has the table context from the last round.

Dele-Bashiru was among the substitutes and came on before the second half. His assist made it 6-2, according to Complete Sports.

Lazio lead Serie A with 25 points, three clear of Inter, after eight wins in nine games without defeat. That is their best start to a season since 1999-2000.

How the game ran away from Sassuolo

Kenneth Taylor, Gustav Isaksen, Romano Floriani Mussolini and Mattia Zaccagni scored before the break, and Noslin added two after it. Sassuolo's Kristian Thorstvedt was sent off in the 31st minute for a tackle on Zaccagni, leaving the hosts with 10 men.

Zaccagni missed a penalty early in the second half, so the margin could have been wider still.

Analysis: What a bench assist adds to the Tanzania case

A single pass against 10 men is a small sample, and Lazio were already comfortably ahead. Even so, it keeps Dele-Bashiru visibly involved in a team winning almost every week, which is the setting a national-team coach notices.

His case for the Super Eagles was already building after his solo goal at Juventus. If Eric Chelle wants a midfielder in form for the Tanzania double-header in November, the assist adds to a run of evidence rather than settling the question. Chelle's squad dilemma is part of the wider picture in our Group L analysis.

Lazio's next league game is away to Cagliari on 1 November,.

Borriello was speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, as reported by Legit.ng on Wednesday 28 October. “I want a great number nine. Osimhen? Maybe. He's strong, he knows Serie A and Spalletti,” he said.

“But beyond Osimhen, we need a top-level striker.”

Borriello's words are an opinion, not an approach. Juventus are reportedly looking for a forward, and the same report says they were interested in Osimhen in the summer 2026 window before dropping the pursuit because of the transfer fee and his salary.

Osimhen's Serie A record and the reported clause

At Napoli, the Super Eagles forward scored 76 goals and gave 18 assists in 133 appearances. He helped them win the 2022-23 Serie A title, their first league championship in 33 years, and was named African Footballer of the Year in that period.

Goal has reported that Napoli inserted a clause into his Galatasaray deal: the Turkish champions would owe Napoli a €70m penalty if they sell him to another Serie A club before the summer 2027 transfer window closes.

Osimhen has just scored twice in Galatasaray's derby win over Fenerbahçe, a result that put him 10th on the club's all-time league scoring list.

Analysis: Why “maybe” is not a transfer story yet

Two things are on the record: Juventus were reported to have walked away once on cost, and the reported clause adds a €70m penalty to any Serie A move before the summer 2027 window closes. If both reports hold, a deal would need a fee, wages and a penalty to fit inside one budget.

That is a harder sum than Borriello's one-word answer suggests. For now the useful reading is that Osimhen's Serie A name still carries weight, while his Galatasaray form gives the Istanbul club little reason to listen.

Osimhen's next job is for club and country: Galatasaray's season continues, and the Super Eagles need him fit for the Tanzania games in November, as our Group L breakdown explains.

Premium Times reported on 22 October that the FIFA Council Bureau gave its approval on Thursday that week, as announced by the NFF. FIFA and CAF will jointly appoint the committee's members, and the size, composition and full responsibilities had not been announced at that point.

In the FIFA letter, signed by Secretary General Mattias Grafström, the mandate “shall expire as soon as it has fulfilled all of its tasks, but by no later than 31 May 2027”.

How the NFF reached this point

The decision follows the 27 August resignations of NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and the Executive Committee. Their exit disrupted the NFF's elective congress, which was scheduled for 27 September in Lafia.

FIFA and CAF suspended the electoral process in a letter dated 7 September. President Bola Tinubu has ordered football reforms, saying: “The reform must respond to a longstanding need to strengthen governance.”

No committee member will be eligible for the positions to be filled in the NFF elections, under the terms in the FIFA letter. Until members are appointed, the NFF secretariat handles day-to-day administration, with Emmanuel Ikpeme as acting general secretary.

Analysis: What it means for Chelle and Tanzania

The committee's remit is governance and elections. Chelle's task, choosing and preparing a squad for Tanzania, should sit outside that brief, so the pitch is where November will be judged.

The stakes there are sharp. Nigeria are second in Group L, three points behind Guinea-Bissau, and Tanzania, as co-hosts, are already through, so only the best-placed non-host side goes to the finals. Our Group L table breakdown sets out the arithmetic, and our look at Chelle's double duty shows how stretched the coaching job already is.

If the committee is named quickly, the Eagles get a steadier administration for the November camp. The members' names are the next thing to watch.

Arokodare is at Ajax on loan from Wolves. The report says Wolves are open to selling but must decide whether to accept Ajax's valuation, and that no agreement is in place. The fee and other terms are still to be settled, and the outcome could be decided as late as next summer. This is a report, not a confirmed deal.

The 25-year-old has nine goals and three assists in 14 appearances for Ajax this season, according to the same report. He previously played for Genk. Soccernet covered his own stance on a permanent switch and the money involved in an earlier piece on his Ajax future.

Ajax's reported ceiling is the number to watch. Wolves have not been reported to have named a price, and the report says they could hold out for more than €25m.

Analysis: Output makes the case, the loan structure makes the fee harder

Nine goals in 14 games is a rate of about 0.64 a match, which is the strongest argument Ajax have for paying. The same numbers give Wolves their argument too: a striker scoring at that pace is worth more than a bargain price.

If the two clubs cannot agree on a price this winter, the report suggests the stand-off could run to next summer, with Arokodare's stay at Ajax possibly extended in the meantime. For the player, that would mean more time in the Eredivisie, which suits a striker trying to stay in Eric Chelle's thinking for the Super Eagles.

Arokodare spoke about his Ajax ambitions earlier this month in Arokodare sets clear Ajax target. Soccernet will follow any official word from either club.

In the Nigerian Matchday table, Rivers United lead on goal difference of +10 from 10 games. Enugu Rangers are second on +5 with two games fewer played, eight, and Nasarawa United are third on +3 after 10. Plateau United and Barau FC follow on 15 points each, level with Bendel Insurance, Sporting Lagos, Kano Pillars and Niger Tornadoes.

Rivers lost 2-1 at Bendel Insurance on Sunday 25 October, as Soccernet covered in its NPFL results roundup. Nasarawa United moved up with a 1-0 win over Enyimba, while Niger Tornadoes won 1-0 at Abia Warriors and Kun Khalifat beat Inter Lagos 1-0. Warri Wolves and Kano Pillars drew 0-0, Ikorodu City and Shooting Stars drew 2-2, Barau FC and Kwara United drew 1-1, and Katsina United and Plateau United drew 2-2.

Soccernet previewed that game in Bendel Insurance host Rivers United.

Matchday 11 fixtures to watch

Niger Tornadoes host Barau FC on Friday 30 October, listed for 15:00 WAT, and Doma United meet Ikorodu City on Saturday. Most of the round is listed for Sunday 1 November at 16:00 WAT:

• Rivers United vs Enugu Rangers
• Kano Pillars vs Nasarawa United
• Kwara United vs Bendel Insurance
• Katsina United vs Sporting Lagos
• Plateau United vs Warri Wolves
• Shooting Stars vs Abia Warriors
• Enyimba vs Kun Khalifat
• Inter Lagos vs Ranchers Bees

Analysis: Rangers have the games in hand, Rivers have the goals

The table is tighter than the standings suggest. Rangers have 17 points from eight games, so a win in either of their games in hand would put them ahead of Rivers, which gives Sunday's meeting extra weight for both sides. A Rivers win would put them three points clear of Rangers, though Rangers would still have those games to play, while a Rangers win would give them three points over Rivers and the head-to-head edge.

Behind them, the bunching is the real story: six clubs are on 15 points, and Kano Pillars' trip to Nasarawa United on the same day could decide whether Nasarawa stay in the top three.

The derby was played on Monday 26 October. Osimhen's first goal was a half-volley from inside the box and his second a header from an off-target shot, as reported by Afrik-Foot. Irfan Can Kahveci pulled one back for Fenerbahçe late on, and the result put Galatasaray top of the Turkish Super League, six points clear of their city rivals, according to Legit.ng.

It was his third goal against Fenerbahçe, a tally Afrik-Foot says is level with Wesley Sneijder's as the highest by a foreign player for Galatasaray in the fixture. Soccernet looked at what the derby meant for him before kick-off in our Galatasaray vs Fenerbahçe preview.

Where 49 league goals ranks at Galatasaray

On a Transfermarkt-based ranking published by Afrik-Foot, Osimhen now sits tenth among Galatasaray's league scorers with 49 goals in 59 Süper Lig games. Hakan Şükür leads with 288, followed by Tanju Çolak on 116 and Arif Erdem on 104. Mauro Icardi and Burak Yılmaz are both on 65, Gheorghe Hagi on 59 and Necati Ateş on 54.

Across all competitions Osimhen has 68 goals in 83 appearances for the club, but that ranking counts league goals only.

After the game he spoke about the talk around him in the build-up. In comments reported by Legit.ng, he said he is focused on the support of the fans rather than on social media chatter, and that he loves the club and will give everything for it.

Analysis: A scoring rate that makes the top ten look temporary

Forty-nine goals in 59 league games is a rate of roughly 0.83 a match. Necati Ateş is five goals ahead of him and Gheorghe Hagi ten. If he keeps scoring at anything close to that rate, both could be passed, though that depends on his fitness and on how long he stays in Istanbul.

Şükür's 288 is a different matter and will not be threatened for years. The realistic target is the second place Çolak holds on 116, which is 67 goals away.

The derby also came with a Nigeria dimension. The Super Eagles face Tanzania in the next AFCON qualifiers in November, and a striker scoring in the biggest game of the Turkish season is what Eric Chelle will want to see. Soccernet's look at the Super Eagles coach's workload is in our piece on his double duty.

Nigeria beat Madagascar 2-1 in Uyo on 25 September, then lost 3-0 at Guinea-Bissau four days later. Guinea-Bissau lead with six points and a goal difference of +5, Nigeria have three and -2, while Madagascar and Tanzania have one point each.

The table at a glance

• Guinea-Bissau: played 2, won 2, goal difference +5, 6 points
• Nigeria: played 2, won 1, lost 1, goal difference -2, 3 points
• Madagascar: played 2, drawn 1, lost 1, goal difference -1, 1 point
• Tanzania: played 2, drawn 1, lost 1, goal difference -2, 1 point

Tanzania are co-hosts of the 2027 finals and already have a place, so only the best-placed of the other three teams in the group goes through. That makes the group a three-way race for one spot, with Guinea-Bissau in front.

The Nigeria vs Tanzania game is due in Uyo and the return in Dar es Salaam, both in mid-November. Sources differ on the exact dates, with one fixture list giving 11 and 15 November and another 13 and 17 November.

Analysis: Six points is the target, and the squad has to deliver it

Tanzania cannot take the qualifying place, but both games against them are still points Nigeria must collect. Six would take Nigeria to nine and force Guinea-Bissau to answer, while anything less would leave the Super Eagles relying on others.

Squad news will shape that. Legit.ng reported in mid-October that Eric Chelle plans three changes, with Victor Osimhen returning from a groin injury and Kelechi Iheanacho and Banik Ostrava defender Abdullahi Bewene also in his thinking, though no official list has been published. Osimhen scored twice for Galatasaray in the Istanbul derby this week, which suggests he is fit. Soccernet profiled the defender in Meet the right-back reported in Chelle's squad.

The other variable is the coach's schedule. Chelle also manages the Olympic Eagles, who have a fixture on similar dates, and Soccernet explained the clash in Why Chelle's double duty is a Nigeria problem.

A full six points from Tanzania would change the shape of the group before the year is out.

Neither Bursaspor nor the player has confirmed a deal. The reports date from 9 and 10 October, and the January window keeps the story live.

What Turkish outlets reported

Fanatik reported on 9 October that Bursaspor, a Trendyol 1. Lig title contender, have held talks with the 29-year-old and that they have made significant progress, though the club is not rushing. The paper said Bursaspor want a half-season contract with an option to extend.

AfricaSoccer, citing Fotomaç, reported on 10 October that Onyekuru is a free agent after leaving Gençlerbirliği at the end of last season, having joined them from Al Fayha in 2025. It said he made 19 appearances for Gençlerbirliği without a goal or assist.

The sources differ on his contract status: Fanatik says Bursaspor hold his registration rights, while AfricaSoccer calls him a free agent. Both agree that a contract signed now cannot be registered until January, so he could train with his new teammates but not play in official matches before then.

Analysis: A short deal fits both sides

A six-month contract with an option would let Bursaspor judge Onyekuru, a former Everton and Galatasaray winger, in the second half of the season without a long commitment. For Onyekuru it would be a route back into regular football after the reported 19 games without a goal contribution at his last club.

Bursaspor are an attractive stage for a Nigerian forward. Kelechi Iheanacho has 16 goals in 12 appearances for the club, a run Soccernet covered in its piece on his Turkish scoring record, and Soccernet looked at the interest in Bursaspor's search for another Nigerian star.

If a deal is signed, the January window is the date to watch for his first official appearance.

Ajayi took the Premier League's Player of the Match award and Hull's official fan poll, with 43.6% of the vote ahead of Oli McBurnie, Tim Iroegbunam and Lewis Coyle, according to Premium Times' roundup on 26 October. Soccernet previewed the game in Hull City vs Brentford: Preview, h2h as Ajayi meets Igor Thiago.

He won five of six tackles, made four clearances, five recoveries and two interceptions, as Hull bounced back from their defeat to Fulham the week before.

Ajayi on the draw

Ajayi said, as quoted by Premium Times, that the response to the Fulham defeat mattered.

It's important that we had a good bounce back from last week; we did that.

He did not hide his disappointment at missing out on a win.

We are definitely disappointed not to come away with the three points, but a point at home is always positive.

Analysis: A reminder for Chelle at centre-back

Ajayi's numbers, five tackles won from six plus 11 clearances, recoveries and interceptions, come in the week the Super Eagles are thinking about their central defenders. Gabriel Osho is serving a three-game ban after Cardiff's failed red-card appeal, and Calvin Bassey played every minute of Fulham's win over Coventry.

A Premier League man-of-the-match display against Brentford does not select a squad, but it adds to the case for Ajayi when Eric Chelle names his group for Tanzania.

FIFA announced the payment on 22 October, according to Nairametrics on 24 October. The money is preparation funding within FIFA's financial distribution model for the tournament in Brazil, and it is separate from prize money.

FIFA raised the amount to match what teams received at the 2026 men's World Cup. Across 32 associations the total is $80m.

The bigger bill is still to come

FIFA has not yet announced the full prize-money and distribution arrangements for the tournament, so Nigeria's total missed earnings are not yet known. FIFA is due to discuss further details at its Council meeting in December 2026, and any tournament surplus will go to participating associations, with a portion reserved for players.

On the Nigerian side, the NFF asked head coach Justine Madugu and his technical crew to step down and set up a fact-finding committee. No replacement has been named.

Analysis: $2.5m is the floor, not the full cost

The $2.5m is the one figure that is known, and it is only the preparation payment. Any prize money and any share of a surplus would come on top for the qualifiers, so the final gap between Nigeria and the 32 teams in Brazil may be wider once FIFA publishes its distribution in December.

Nigeria's focus now turns to the 2028 Olympic qualifiers, where the Super Falcons beat Comoros earlier this month. Soccernet looked at why Morocco is the real test in the next round, while Super Falcons such as Deborah Abiodun at Washington Spirit are building careers abroad.

The fact-finding committee's recommendations, and the choice of the next coach, will show how seriously the NFF treats the cost of missing out.